TweakUI: Recovering From X-Mouse

Q: At one time I downloaded an evaluation version of something like "Windows XP Tweak". I made a change without knowing the full impact and had attempted several times to change it back before the evaluation period expired, to no avail. The setting is still active.

This setting activates and deactivates the XP-focused Window, based on where the mouse is hovering. While this can be useful, it tends to be quite aggravating when an unintended window loses focus. I believe that the original change was made through the Group Policy Editor. I'm sure there's a place to change it back, but I can't seem to find it. - Ken Schnatter.

A: What you're describing is a feature called X-Mouse. The focus moves to whatever window is under the mouse cursor, with no clicking needed. Don't worry, there's a free utility from Microsoft called TweakUI that will undo what your evaluation software did. Download it here: Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP.

Launch TweakUI, open the Mouse section and click X-Mouse. If the box titled "Activation follows mouse (X-Mouse)" is checked, just un-check it and click OK. If it's un-checked, that means TweakUI is out of sync with what the other program did. Check the box, click Apply, un-check it, and click OK. Now you can move the mouse without wildly activating every window it passes over. - Neil J. Rubenking.

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